Cloth-washing machine.



Patented Dec, 23, I902. J. M. WOELFEL.

CLOTH WASHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1902.)

4$heets-Sheat I.

(No Model.)

TNE NORRIS ranks co, PHOTO-LITNO, WASHINGTON, a. c.

No. 7l6,509. Patented DBO. 23, I902. I

J. M. WDELFEL.

CLOTH WASHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mat. 29, 1902-] m: ucmnls paras co, FHOTCHJTHQ, WASHINGTON, n. c.

Patented Dec. 23, I902.

No. 7l6,509.

J. M. WOELFEL. CLOTH WASHING MACHINE.

(Application filed mar. 29, 1902.)

4 Sheets-Shaet 4.

( No Model.)

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PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. WOELFEL, OF MOORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTH-WASHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,509, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed March 29, 1902.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M.WOELFEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moore, county of Delaware, and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oloth-Washin g Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in cloth-washing machines, and has for its object to provide a machine by which a strip of cloth may be run continuously through the machine and be washed and rinsed While in transit.

With this end in View this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

Inorder that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal section through the same; Fig. 3, a plan View of the same; Fig. 4, a section on the line 4: 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a perspective View of one of the guidebars, showing the peculiar formation of the eyes through the same.

1 represents the framework of the machine, which may be of any suitable shape or design, for supporting the operating parts.

2 represents the strip of cloth to be washed, whichenters the machine from one end by passing over the idle roller 3, and from there passes downward into a tank or vat 4, which contains the soap solution, and from there passes through one of the eyes 5 at one end of the guide-bar 6. In passing through this eye the strip of cloth is forced together into folds and remains in such condition throughout the washing process. The upper wall of each of the eyes 5 is corrugated or serrated, as represented at 7, so as to form blunt teeth, which will act to separate the folds and allow the solution to more readily pass through the goods. The cloth after passing through the guide-bar 6 passes around an idle roll 8, journaled in the lower end of the tank 4, and from there passes upward and Serial 110.100.504. (No model.)

around a large constantly-revolving driven roll 9, and after leaving said roll passes downward and through the next succeeding eye 5 in the guide-bar 6 and again around the idle roll 8 upward to the roll 9, and from there to the next succeeding eye, and so on until the cloth has passed through all of the eyes 5 and has reached the opposite end of the roll 9, thus describing a spiral path in its travel. On the last turn the cloth then passes to the first rinsing-tank, hereinafter described.

Journaled loosely upon the same shaft as the roller 9 upon each side of the roller is a spider 10, which consists of aseries of radial arms, which carry upon their ends boxes 11, in which are adapted to slide radial bearingblocks 12, in which are journaled rollers 13, two to each arm of the spider. These rollers 13 are covered with a spiral rubber covering 14, this rubber covering of each pair of rolls being coiled in an opposite direction from one another. Extending downward from each of the bearing-blocks 12 are rods 15, each pair being joined together by a cross-piece 16,

and a spring 17 is interposed between the box 11 and said. cross-piece, which tends to hold the rolls 13 in contact with a large drum 9. The spiders carrying the rolls 13 are adapted to be oscillated by means of an arm 18,extending downward from the spider and receiving motion from a pitman 19 in the manner hereinafter described. The lower end of the arm 18, is secured rigidly to a rod 19, which rod has secured to it collars 20 upon each side of the arm 18, and between these collars and lugs 21, extending outward from the frame of the machine, are interposed buffer springs 22, and these springs tend to ease the motion of the oscillating arm 18 at each end of its stroke.

Extending downward from each spider 10 into the interior of the tank or vat 4 are arms 23, which are joined together at their lower ends by one or more bars 24, and as these arms 23 are caused to oscillate with the spider the cross-bars 24 will act as agitators in the scouring solution to throw the solution against the cloth upon each side, and thus aid in saturating said cloth. When the cloth leaves the drum 9 on its last turn, it then pasess for the last time around the roller 8 and then upward and around the idle roll 25 and then downward through one of the eyes 5, arranged at one end of a second guide-bar26, and then around two idle rolls 27, journaled in thelower portion of the first rinsing-tank 28, then upward and around an idle roll 29 and downward through the next succeeding eye of the guide-bar 26, and so on around the rolls 27 and 29 and again through the guide-bar, describing a spiral path, as before described, until it has passed through all the eyes of the guide-bar, and then passes upward and between two squeezingrolls 30 and 31 and then downward into the second and last rinsing-tank 32 and through an eye 5 at one end of a third guide-bar 33, around anidle roller 34 at the lower end of the tank, upward and around idle rollers 35, and then downward and again through the guide-ba r to the next succeeding eye and around the rolls 34 and 35, describing again a spiral course around these three rollers until theother end of the machine is reached, and then passing upward and through a second pair of squeezing-rolls 36 and 37 and from there through a driven reel 38, where it is taken to the dryingroom.

Arranged in the center of each of the rinsing-tanks 28 and 32 are driven agitators 39, formed like paddle-wheels, which rotate in the water and throw it against the cloth, which surrounds the agitators on all sides, thus aiding the rinsing of the soap from out of the material. Above the rinsing-tank 32 are arranged sprinklers 40, controlled by a valve 41, which throws a continuous spray of water upon the material passing from one roller to the other and help the rinsing of the material and at the same time keep the tanks 32 and 28 supplied with Water, which water overflows through the opening 42, leading from the tank 32 to the tank 28. Only the lower roll of each pair of squeezing-rolls is driven. The upper rolls are simply idle rolls and are held in contact with the material by adjustable weights 43, which are adapted to be adjusted along arms 44, pivoted to the framework of the machine and bearing downward upon the bearing-blocks of the rolls 31 and 37.

Although the movable parts of this machine may be driven in any manner desired, I prefer the construction and arrangement as herein shown and described, in which represents the power-shaft, and on this shaft is secured a pulley 46, over which runs a belt 47 to a conepulley 48 at the opposite end of the machine. A belt 49 passes over this conepulley and around the second cone-pulley 50, thus providing for variable speed. Secured to the same shaft as the cone-pulley 50 is a beveled gear 51, which meshes with a second beveled gear 52, secured upon theend of the shaft 53, which extends parallel with the frame and has a bearing thereon. Secured upon this shaft 53 is a worm 54, which drives a worm-Wheel 56, secured upon the shaft 57 of the drum 9. A belt 58 passes around a pulley secured upon the shaft 57 and around a pulley secured upon the same shaft as the squeezing-roll 36, and upon this same shaft as the squeezing-roll 36'is secured a second pulley, around which a belt 59 passes, which also passes over a pulley secured upon the same shaft as the squeezing-roll 30. A second pulley is located upon the same shaft as the squeezing-roll 36, and around it passes a belt 60, which drives the reel 38.

61 is a gear-wheel secured to the powershaft 45, and this gear-wheel meshes with a larger gearwheel 62, journaled upon the framework of the machine, and to this gearwheel 62 is secured a crank 63, to the wristpin of which is journaled one end of the pit man 19, the other end of said pitman, as before described, being secured to the arm 18 for the purpose of oscillating the spiders 10. Secured to the power-shaft is a pulley around which passes a belt 64, which also passes around a pulley 65, secured upon the same shaft as one of the agitators 39. To this same agitator-shaft is secured a second pul ley 66, around which passes a belt 67, and also around a pulley 68, secured to the same shaft as the second agitator 39. This applies the driving mechanism,which, as will be seen, will give the proper motion to all of the movable parts.

The advantage of this machine is that it will provide for the continuous operation of scouring or washing cotton or woolen goods of every description, and although the goods pass through the machine in the folded condition by passing through the different tanks in a spiral course, and thus being exposed to each action a number of times, the goods will be thoroughly scoured and cleaned and rinsed before passing from the machine. The action of the oppositely-coiled spiral rubber rolls 14 will thoroughly scour'and cleanse the material while said material is passing around the drum 9.

With this machine the goods will be rapidly washed and will pass through the machine without interruption, for one strip is simply secured to the last end of the strip being washed, and so the operation is continued indefinitely without interruption. Thus a great saving in time and labor is effected and also the water, soap, &c., are used to the fullest extent and all waste avoided.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- 1. In a cloth-washing machine, a series of tanks .or vats adapted to contain the scouring and rinsing solutions, a series of guiderolls for guiding the material through the successive steps of the operation, guide-bars provided with a series of eyes formed therethrough, one guide-bar for each tank or vat, the material adapted to pass through each eye of the guide-bar and over the rollers connected with one tank so as to cause the material to describe a spiral path before the material is allowed to pass to the next tank or step of the operation, a continuously-revolving drum arranged above the scouring-tank around which the material is caused to pass in a spiral form, a series of rubber-covered rollers arranged around the periphery of said drum and held in spring contact therewith, means for oscillating said rubber-covered rollers, squeezing-rolls for squeezing the excess solution from the material as it passes from one rinsing-tank to the other, and also from the machine, in combination with mechanism for communicating motion to all of the oper-' ating parts, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a machine of the character described, a suitable framework, a vat adapted to contain the securing solution, a guide-bar arranged within the vat, said guide-bar provided with a series of eyes, a guide-rollerjournaled in the lower end of the vat around which the material passes after passing through the guide-bar, a constantly-revolving drum arranged above the scouring-vat around which the material passes, and from there passes through the next succeeding eye of the guidebar, and so on again around the drum until said material has passed through each eye of the guide-bar, a series of rubber-covered rollers arranged around the drum and held in spring contact therewith, means for oscillating said rollers around the drum, an agitator arranged within the scouring-vat, two rinsingvats, a guide-bar arranged in each rinsingvat, said guide-bar provided with a series of eyes through which the material is caused to pass successively until the last eye is reached, a series of guide-rollers arranged in each rinsing-tank around which the material is caused to pass in a spiral form from one side of the machine to the other, constantly-revolving agitators arranged in each tank, a pair of squeezing-rolls between which the material is adapted to pass from one tank to the other, sprinklers arranged above the last rinsingtank adapted to throw a constant spray of water upon the material, a second pair of squeezing-rolls between which the material passes in passing from the machine, and mechanism for communicating power to the different operating parts, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In a washing-machine, a vat adapted to contain the scouring solution, suitable guiderolls for guiding the material into the solution, a constantly-revolving drum arranged above the vat, spiders journaled loosely upon the same shaft as the drum at each end thereof, said spiders consisting of a series of radial arms, boxes formed at the outer end of each of the arms, bearing-blocks arranged to slide radially within the boxes, rollers journaled in said bearing-blocks,rods extending downward from the bearing-blocks, cross-pieces joining the rods of each pair of bearing-blocks, springs interposed between these crosspieces and the boxes for holding the rollers in spring contact with the drum, a spiral rubber covering covering the rolls, the covering being coiled in opposite directions upon each pair of rolls, means for oscillating said spiders, means for causing the material to pass through the tank and around the drum in a spiral course from one side of the machine to the other, a series of rinsing-tanks through which the material is designed to pass, a series of guide-rolls arranged within the tanks over which the material passes, means for guiding the material around the rolls of each tank in a spiral form from one side of the machine to the other before passing to the next tank or before passing out of the machine, agitators arranged in the scouring-tank and the rinsing-tanks, sprinklers arranged above the last rinsingtank, squeezing-rolls between which the material passes from one tank to the other, and from the machine, and means for bringing about the proper movement of the diiferent moving parts, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with a machine of the character described, guide-bars provided with a series of pear shaped openings or eyes, through which eyes the material is designed to pass successively, serrations or corrugations formed in one Wall of the eyes for the purpose of opening the folds of the cloth as the material passes through the eyes, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH M. WOELFEL.

Witnesses:

H. B. HALLOCK, L. W. MORRISON. 

